A Long Time Between Posts

I don't know where I've been. I think back on the 20+ months since I last posted and I wonder why it's taken me so long to get back here.

Although I haven't blogged, I still love a simple life, I like time to myself to potter and create.

For a few reasons the last 12 months have taken a little turn down a more spiritual road.  More meditation, more yoga, more time just noticing the importance of breathe, and the sights and sounds that surround me.

There has been time spent exploring things like energy fields and the belief that we all belong to one consciousness and maybe we can develop the ability to see the aura of a person and touch their energy.

And just maybe there are beings that I can't see that are guiding me gently in this new direction.

I wonder ................................................

Tomato Soup

Once again we have an abundance of cherry tomatoes that have popped up without us planting them. They self seed each year and not always where we want them but we put up with them to get these little beauties.  I'm about to make my favourite Cherry Tomato and Chili Jam blog post here and last weekend I made some roasted tomato soup.  I know it's not really soup weather here in QLD but I work in a really cold office and as I'm not a Coffee drinker, soup is a great thing to have for morning tea.

It's healthy gluten free, dairy free and nutritious so it ticks all the boxes.  I read a few different recipes but then just improvised.   
Here's what I did with around 30 grams of cherry and small roma tomatoes. I cut them in half, put them in two baking trays and drizzled them with olive oil.  I cut the top of a garlic bulb and put one in each tray.  I then baked them for about 40 minutes at 180 degrees.

I then transferred the tomatoes to the Thermomix.  I squeezed the garlic out of the cloves and then blended it all on speed 9 for a couple of minutes. At the end of the blending it looked like tomato puree and there were no skins to be seen.  I added about 2 cups of water and a couple of tablespoons of my vegetable stock - recipe here.  I then cooked it on 100 degrees for 15 mins and finished it off by blending it for another minute.I didn't add any cream as I'm dairy free so just ate as is, and it was delicious :-)

Paleo Bread (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)

Due to some Thyroid issues my diet is now supposed to be Gluten Free and Dairy Free.  I have good days and bad days with this but finding a good bread recipe will make it easier.

Today I used this recipe from the Thermomix Community but it was adapted from a non-Thermomix recipe and they provide the link if you don't have a Thermomix. It was super easy and tastes really good. The recipe has honey in but I don't like sweet bread so inside of 35 grams I just used 15 grams.  I haven't tried toasting it yet but it's not crumbly so should be fine.

Yoghurt Cheese

Some people call this Quark and some call it Labna - I call it yoghurt cheese.  Super simple to make and a great replacement for cheese and dips.  These photos show you how to make it rather than how to eat it.  There are many ways to enjoy yoghurt cheese.   Add herbs or chilli or honey just depends on whether you want a sweet or savoury flavour.  Sometimes I don't add anything and just spread some on a rice cake for a really quick snack. 

 
I use a plastic strainer that fits nicely into a plastic jug.








I place a piece of muslin inside the strainer and then pour in a whole container of my favourite five:am plain yoghurt.




It then needs something on the top to weigh it down.  This pushed all of the liquid out. The liquid is full of pro-biotic so good to put into food or a drink.

This one I left in the fridge for a few days but usually 24 hours is enough.

The strainer I use gives it a great pattern but I don't have a dish big enough to keep it in like this so I've squashed it into the glass container below.

Bliss Balls

I've been making a version of this for about the last 20 years.   For many many years it was a staple treat for the kids and a lot healthier for them than I ever led them to believe.
 
I don't follow a recipe so they are a bit different every time.

This is today's recipe.  I didn't actually measure anything so I'm going have a stab at the quantity.  Basically use just whizz it up till it all starts to stick together.  If it's too dry to stick together, just add more dates.

15 Medjool Dates (seed removed)
1 Cup Almonds
1/4 Cup Chia Seeds
1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut
1 teaspoon of vanilla paste
2 tablespoons Cacao Powder

I used the turbo button on the Thermomix until it's combined and sticking together. Then form into balls and rolled in Sesame Seeds.

I like to take a couple of these to work to have mid afternoon rather than visiting the chocolate box or the vending machine.  Two is plenty to cure a sweet craving.   

This is what I take if I haven't made bliss balls.  Ha Ha the lazy woman's bliss ball.   Still bliss to eat though!

Pumpkin and Ham Slice

Ready for the oven

This is my twist on the old Zucchini slice.  I had ham that needed to be used, an excess of pumpkin and eggs (one of the baby chicks laid for the first time today).


I cubed up some Cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese and grated in the Thermomix. The weight was 120 grams all up - mixed for about 5 seconds on speed 8.  Put the cheese aside in a bowl.

I then roughly chopped one carrot and about 200g pumpkin.  Put the carrot, pumpkin and an onion cut in half into the Thermomix.   I then chopped on speed 5 for about 6 seconds.

Ready to eat

Then I roughly chopped up a whole red capsicum and put this in to the Thermomix with the other vegetables and a few sages leaves I got from the garden. I chopped just for a 2 seconds on speed 4.

Then back in with the cheese, 6 eggs, 50 grams macadamia oil, 170g chopped ham a good pinch of salt and pepper and 150g of SR Flour.

Mixed it all together on reverse speed 5 for 10 seconds then poured into baking tray lined with baking paper.

Put into a 180 degree oven for 35 - 40 minutes.

Fighting Winter's Ill's

Garry has a fairly serious cold /flu (possibly even Man Flu) so I made him this smoothie for breakfast.   He doesn't even bother to ask what's in it anymore but it went something like this.


Almonds
Camu Camu Powder
Probiotic Powder
Vital Greens Powder
Coconut
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Vanilla Bean
Frozen Banana
Lots of Silver beet

Blitzed in the Thermomix for 2 minutes

Raw Brownies

I've been following a blog called Fragrant Vanilla Cake.  This girl makes lots of yummy looking treats without using dairy or wheat and without cooking.

 

I gave the Brownies a try today and while it was quite a long process they are very delicious.

This is definitely a "sometimes" food as it's quite expensive to make given the amount of nuts involved.  The other challenge was cracking a coconut and getting all the flesh out to make the topping.

Lots of fun.

Killing a Cold

I have a bit of a head cold so I'm blitzing it today with Raw Food and juice.

Apple, celery, kale, lemon and ginger in my trusty Tribest blender.

 

 

 

I had a fantastic day yesterday, I went to a Raw Food Cooking Class run by Rah from Sprouting Smiles.

It was very inspiring and the food we got to eat was amazing.   I'm buying a dehyrator and will start to make some of this healthy food for myself.


Raw Meet Balls with Tomato Sauce and Zucchinin and Raw Taco with Nut Cheese

 





Chia Pudding with Pineapple and Coconut Crunch

Wall Garden

Today in my never ending search for new places to plant vegies I made a hessian wall garden.

It was easy to make and very inexpensive (under $10) now we need to wait a few weeks and see if it actually works.  I've planted a mixture of lettuce and rocket.

Today's Green Smoothie

Green smoothie's have become a normal part of my life and a great way to start today.

Here is what went into today's


1 Whole apple (peeled and cored)
1/4 Banana
Handful Rocket
2 Cos Leaves
1 Teaspoon Green Powder
1 Teaspoon Probiotics
1 Teaspoon Collodial Minerals
Handful of Ice

All blended for about a minute.   It tasted great !